I’m working my way through Your Life as Story by Tristine Rainer. It would seem it’s much easier to read about writing than to actually do any writing. I should know. I pick up every book on writing that there is in order to further my art of avoidance of the actual act.
However, this particular book really is very good. It’s dense and packed with good information, great examples and lots of suggestions of other books to read…handy that.
This means that I can endlessly read about writing and thereby never actually have to write. It means I avoid adding new posts to this blog (as is demonstrated by the fact that my last entry was ages ago) because I tell myself it’s taking away from my “real” writing time. Ha.
It is so easy to continue to spin my own delusions in the hopes that I don’t notice.
I know. I know. That last sentence is sounding like a very Sybil-split personality sentence.
Or we could call it my meta-voice. Yes. That sounds more writerly and aware.
I think what stops me from doing these rather simple postings is that I always feel I need to add a photo and then I start scrolling through my photos and then I get lost in all those memories and blah, blah, blah. Another hour or two and nothing posted.
So, here’s the deal. I’ll try just adding text tonight. It feels like a rather naked post but at least I’ve done something today besides play with the StumbleUpon button and endless reviews of writers’ guidelines for magazines with editors that will never, ever respond to my queries anyway.
I’ve avoided writing this “book” that I keep thinking I’ll eventually get to, because I think I can’t stand that it will take so long, if ever, to get some feedback. One writes forever, looks for an agent forever, then a publisher, forever, you get the picture.
I have said I write magazine and newspaper articles because at least there’s some response and eventually a fairly quick turnaround and resulting publication. But alas, it would appear I’m deluding myself on that count too.
I have endless queries released out into the cyber-ether right now. These queries are for, what I think, are a couple of really good travel stories. I’ve even had some editors get back to me with interest. About a month ago, one editor wrote back with words to this effect,
” I like this. Please resend it in September 2010 and we’ll perhaps consider it for our January 2011 issue.”
Did I mention I already have white hair?
It all boils down to this. I might as well work on the long shot of a book and the tedious drawn out affair it apparently becomes because the “quick” turnaround of the magazine and newspaper publications is not happening any faster anyway.
On a happier note…All that time spent bumbling about the various websites helped me find this worthwhile site.
